Manually operated sculling motor



Jan. 9, 1 968 I R. BARKER $362,374

MANUALLY OPERATED SCULL ING MOTOR Filed April 27, 1966 INVENTOR. a

United States Patent Ofiice 3,362,374 Patented Jan. 9, 1968 ABSCT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure relates to a manually operated or powered outboard motor of the screw propeller type. The motor is portable and is equipped with a clamp for attaching the motor to a boat transom. It includes a vertical drive shaft which is geared to a propeller shaft by a pair of beveled gears that are housed in an appropriate housing at the lower end of the drive shaft. A handle is provided at the upper end of the drive shaft, and this shaft is driven by hand manipulation of the handle in a pumping type action. The handle is drivingly connected to the drive shaft through a beveled ring gear and a pair of pinion gears which are housed in an appropriate housing at the upper end of the shaft. The pinion gears are spaced apart on the drive shaft and are arranged to mesh with the ring gear at diametrically opposite sides of the gear. With the pumping action imparted to the handle, the ring gear is caused to rotate in one direction during one stroke of the handle and during the other or return stroke of the handle is caused to rotate in the opposite direction. To impart unidirectional rotational motion to the vertical shaft, each pinion gear is equipped with an overrunning bearing clutch and these clutches are adapted and arranged to alternate in looking onto the drive shaft with one clutch locking on the shaft during one stroke of the handle and the other clutch locking under the shaft during the return stroke of the handle. The clutch drive arrangement is such that one clutch is disengaged and free wheeling when the other clutch is locked to the shaft, and this coupled with the arrangement of the pinion gears enables the drive shaft to be driven in one direction.

This invention relates to outboard propelling means for small boats, and more particularly to a outboard propelling means of the screw propeller type and which is manually powered or operated,

The main objects of the invention are:

First, to provide an improved manually operated outboard propelling means which may be attached to a water-craft and used for driving and steering the same as one unit.

Second, to provide an improved manually operated outboard boat propelling means which is comparatively easy to operate.

Third, to provide an improved manually operated outboard boat propelling means which is compact in struc ture, and light in weight, and portable. Fourth, to provide an improved manually powered boat propelling means which can be rotated three hundred and .siXty degrees (360 degrees), adjusted in height, and operated by left or right handed persons.

on the transom of a boat, the transom and adjacent structure of the boat being indicated in broken lines.

FIG. II is a vertical transverse section through a cylindrical housing for a drive connection between a vertical drive shaft and a handle which is manipulated by the boat operator, the section being generally taken along the axis of the drive shaft and illustrating among other components of the unit certain bearing clutch equipped pinion gears which mesh with a beveled ring gear in the housing, the handle being shown in a different position from that shown in FIG. I.

FIG. III is an enlarged view of an adjustable bearing assembly used in making adjustments between the ring gear and the pinion gears.

FIG. IV is an enlarged view of one of the pinion gears shown in FIG. I and shows the relation between the overrunning bearing clutch component thereof and the drive shaft, certain parts being broken away and others in section.

FIG. V is a vertical sectional view through the housing for the drive connection between the vertical drive shaft and the propeller shaft as taken generally along the axes of the shafts, and generally shows the structure of the housing and the drive connection thereat, with certain parts being broken away and others removed.

'FIG. VI is a vertical section along the lines 66 of FIG. I-I and shows, in somewhat reduced size, the space relation between the pinion gears 'on the drive shaft and the diametrically opposite meshing positions with the ring gear.

This invention was so designed to take the place of oars and to be used in case of emergency when the normal gasoline powered type outboard motor fails. It is designed to rotate and adjustment in height for depthness in water. It is also designed to be tilted into the boat When not being used. It is also designed to be used by right or left handed persons. The [transom clamp is so designed to kick up if objects are struck below the water level.

FIG. I shows the broken lines indicating the transom and adjacent parts of "a boat to which the transom clamp is clamped in supporting the unit at the outboard side of the boat.

Item 1 in FIG. I is the operating handle which is manipulated by the boat operator in a pumping type ac tion that provides upward and downward strokes. The handle 1 is also used to steer the water craft. Item 2 is the operating handle connector to a ring gear power shaft 17 shown in FIG. II. Item 3 is the face plate which houses the support bearing 19 for the ring gear power shaft '17. Item 3 is also the support for the ring gear 21, and the ring gear adjustment bearings items 14, 14a, 15, 15a, 16 and 16a of FIG. '11 and FIG. III.

The ring gear 21 is connected to the ring gear shaft 17 by a woodruff key 20 and is locked in place by a set screw 41. The ring gear 21 is in mesh with a pair of beveled pinion gears designated at 22, and 22a in FIG. II. These gears, 22 and 2211, are respectively equipped with over-running bearing clutches designated at 23 and 23a in FIG. I I. The over-running clutches 23 and 23a are pressed fit in the hubs of the pinion gears 22 and 22a as best seen by reference to the arrangement shown in FIG. IV. The pinion gears 22 and 22a are supported by the vertical drive shaft 25 and the latter is journaled in and supported by bearings 26 and 26a shown in FIG. II. Bearings 26 and 26a are supported by and mounted in the upper ring and pinion gear housing 4. The pinion gears 22v and 22a are held in place on the vertical drive shaft 25 by ring keys respectively designated at 24 and 24a in FIG. II.

Item 4 is a cylindrical housing that encloses the ring gear and the pinion gears. Housing 4 is mounted on the tubular housing 8 for the vertical drive shaft and is provided with a flange 5 shown in FIG. I and FIG. 11, which is connected to the vertical drive shaft tubular housing 8 by rivets. designated at 40 and 40a. Item 8 of FIG. I houses the vertical shafts 25. The drive shaft housing 8 is supported by a transom clamp that includes elements 7, 7a, 7b, and 7c, shown in FIG. I. The transom clamp allows the complete unit to rotate three hundred and sixty degrees (360 degrees), and can be mounted on any part of a water craft.

Item 6 of FIG. I is the pressure adjusting screw that applies pressure to the vertical drive shaft housing 8 of FIG. I to keep the unit rigid and allow for steering in turning and reversing. Item 9 is a flange which is riveted to the lower end of the tubular shaft housing, as by rivets 39 and 39a and which are used to connect housing 8 to the housing 10 for the propeller shaft. Flange 9 supports a bearing 28 FIG. V in which the drive shaft 25 is journaled at the lower end of the housing 8.

The lower propeller shaft housing 10 houses a pair of bevel gears designated at 31 and 32 in FIG. V. Propeller shaft 30 is journaled in bearings 29 and 33 which are supported by the housing 10 asseen in FIG. V. Item 34 is a seal which is used to prevent the lubricant inside propeller shaft housing 10 from leaking out of the housing and to prevent water from entering the housing.

Item 32 is a bevel gear attached to the lower end of the vertical drive shaft 25 and which is locked in place by a set screw 36. Gear 32 meshes with another beveled gear 31 and which is locked to the propeller shaft 30 by a set screw designated at 36a in FIG. V. The propeller end of housing 10 is equipped with a flange 11 that is secured to the main body of the housing It) by fasteners designated at 35 and 35a, and the support bearing 33 and shaft seal 33 are mounted in the flange as seen in FIG. V.

Item 12 is the propeller and is locked on the propeller shaft '30 by woodrufi key 43 and lock nut 13.

FIG. III shows an enlarged view of the upper of a pair of buffer bearings shown in FIG. II and which includes elements 14, and '16 whereas the lower buffer bearing includes elements 14a, 15a and 16a.

FIG. IV shows an enlarged view of the pinion gear 22a and the over-running bearing clutch component 23a of the gear. Item 26a of FIG. IV is the support bearing.

FIG. V-I shows the relation of the pinion gears 22 and 22a and the ring gear 21 shows the broken view of the operating handle 1 and the flange 5, connection between the drive shaft tubular housing 8 and housing 4.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the handle 1 is drivingly connected to the vertical shaft 25 by a drive connection which includes a beveled ring gear 21 and a pair of clutch equipped, beveled pinion gears 22 and 22a and that these gears 22 and 22a are all housed in the cylindrical housing at the upper end of the hand powered outboard unit. At the lower end of the unit, the drive shaft 25 is drivingly geared to the drive shaft 30 for the propeller 1-2 by a pair of beveled gears 31 and 32 which are secured to the respective shafts thereat.

The drive arrangement at the top of the unit is such that when a pumping action is imparted to the handle, the ring gear 21 is caused to alternately rotate in opposite directions with successive strokes of the handle 1. Thus, when the handle 1 is pushed downwardly in a stroke, the ring gear 21 rotates in a clockwise direction, as the gear 21 is viewed in FIG. VI. Thereafter with the return or upward stroke of the handle 1, the gear 2 1 is caused to rotate in the opposite or counterclockwise direction as the gear 21 is seen in FIG. VI.

When the ring gear is caused to rotate, the clutch equipped, pinion gears 23 and 23a are caused to rotate in opposite directions, and these directions are reversed by rotational movement of the ring gear 21 in an opposite direction. When the handle 1 is pushed downward in one stroke, the clutch component of one of the pinion gears locks to the shaft 25 whereas the clutch component of the other of the pinion gears is free wheeling with respect to the drive shaft 25. In the upward or return stroke of the handle, the situation is reversed, and the clutch component which is free wheeling during the down stroke is locked to the shaft 21 during the return stroke, and the clutch component which is locked to the shaft during the down stroke is free wheeling with respect to the shaft during the return stroke. With this arrangement unidirectional movement is imparted to the drive shaft 25 every time the operating handle is moved in an upward or downward stroke.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the propelling mechanism is a portable unit which can be easily fitted to any small boat or water craft, or removed therefrom. While the device has been shown and described as manually operated, it will be obvious that a suitable power means may be used with the same without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A portable outboard propelling means comprising a transom clamp for attaching the propelling means to a boat, a propeller shaft, a vertical drive shaft, a pair of bevel gears respectively mounted on and drivingly interconnecting the vertical drive shaft -and the propeller shaft, a beveled ring gear, a pair of beveled pinion gears spaced apart on the vertical drive shaft and in mesh with and at diametrically opposite sides of the ring gear, a handle drivingly connected to the ring gear and manually manipulatable to alternately rotate the ring gear in opposite directions, a housing supported by the transom clamp enclosing the ring gear and pinion gears, a tubular housing and support for the drive shaft supported by the transom'clamp, another housing enclosing said pair of bevel gears; and a support for the propeller shaft; said pinion gears being equipped in their hubs with respective overrunning bearing clutches, one of said clutches being adapted to lock to the drive shaft during rotational movement of the ring gear in one of said opposite directions and to be free wheeling with respect to said drive shaft during rotational movement of the ring gear in the other of said opposite directions, and the other of said clutches being adapted to lock to the drive shaft during rotational movement of the ring gear in said other of said opposite directions and to be free wheeling with respect to said drive shaft during rotational movement of the ring gear in said one of said opposite directions.

2. A portable outboard propelling means comprising a transom clamp for attaching the propelling means to a boat, a propeller shaft, 3. vertical drive shaft drivingly geared to the propeller shaft, two pinion gears having respective overrunning bearing clutches on the vertical drive shaft, a ring gear in mesh with the pinion gears, a manually manipulatable handle for driving the ring gear, a housing supported by the transom clamp enclosing the ring gear and pinion gears and having a face plate which supports the ring gear and manipulatable handle, a tubular housing and support for the drive shaft and which is supported by the transom clamp, and another housing (having an enclosure) enclosing the drive shaft drive gearing for the propeller shaft, and a support for the propeller shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 464,408 12/ 1891 Williams 74-126 X 929,174 7/1909 Thibert -24 1,801,612) 4/1931 Pierce 115-18 ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner. 

